


You Have To Break Rules If You Want To Break Free (1991-1997)

by thebittermountain



Series: Wicked Girls [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Hogwarts: A Mystery
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baron Black, Black Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy is a Brat, Female Harry Potter, Gen, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Good Regulus Black, Indian Aurora Sinistra, Indian Harry Potter, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Original Character(s), Regulus Black Lives, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin Friendship, Sirius Black Lives, Vietnamese-French Andromeda Black, Vietnamese-French Narcissa Black, Vietnamese-French Regulus Black, Vietnamese-French Sirius Black, Wizarding Nobility
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 08:25:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19314355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebittermountain/pseuds/thebittermountain
Summary: Rani goes to Hogwarts, much to her dismay, and Dumbledore’s delight. But does Albus have any idea what’s—or rather, who’s—going to hit him? Because this “Harry” has been raised to help rule an empire since she was one and a half. She has family behind her, and she is far from friendless





	You Have To Break Rules If You Want To Break Free (1991-1997)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rani says goodbye to her family and gets on the Hogwarts train. She begins to meet her fellow first years (and some older students)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Chapter title from the lyrics of “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve

_London, England, King’s Cross Station, 1 September 1991—Platform 9¾_

Niketa Rani Kamala Poddar, known as “Rani” to her family, desperately wants to burrow into her _Modryb_ Petunia’s arms. _But_ , she reminds herself, _eleven is far too old to be cuddling in public_. She ignores the fact that her second cousins, and sisters in all but blood, are doing exactly that with their mother, her _Aatyaa_ Kalyani.

Still, Rani can’t help feeling reluctant to board the black and red steam engine, and not just because of its horrendous color scheme. Her aunt squeezes her shoulder gently, and Rani looks up, drawn from her thoughts.

Petunia Evans’ blue eyes have a clear fondness in them as she looks down at her only niece, and the last remainder of her younger sister.

“It’ll be alright, Rani _bach_. You’ll have your cousins, and I’ll only be a few hours and an owl away,” she says in Welsh, the language she generally converses in with Rani. Her niece shifts slightly on her feet, looking down as she responds in the same language, albeit with a clear Marathi lilt,

“I know, _Anti_. But…I don’t wish to converse in English for a year. I’m not sure I can do that.” Petunia winces, knowing what her niece is really saying. Logically, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the language, and Rani _does_ in fact speak it. With an accent, but that’s nothing to be ashamed of, everyone has one. The problem is, Rani associates English with her parents’ death—an understandable, if regrettable, reaction to trauma. Apparently, the last words Lily and James had said as they died were in English.

Petunia smiles as something occurs to her, and winks down at her niece. Rani tilts her head curiously, looking so much like her mother at that age it hurts.

“ _Cariad_ , I don’t think you need to. Of course, you’ll have to sometimes, but many of the Professors speak other languages.” Rani immediately brightens.

“Who, _Anti_?” Petunia taps her chin, thinking. Both over the staff list the ICW helped them wrangle out of Dumbledore, and her own memories from Lily’s stories.

“Professor McGonagall speaks Gàidhlig; she’s transfiguration. Professor Lupin—defense. He speaks Cymraeg. They’re both friends of your parents, so I’m sure they’ll accommodate you. As for your new professors, the Potions, Music, and Charms professors speak Français. I believe the Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and History professors speak Hindi, though the Care professor isn’t fluent. The Astronomy professor is Marathi, and her husband, the Dueling Instructor, understands Marathi.” Rani nods, feeling more than a bit reassured, even though she still doesn’t wish to be attending Hogwarts. She misses Raja, and she misses his affectionate, fun-filled way of teaching. She hopes he’ll keep his promise to write as much as possible. Feeling melancholy again, she gives into the urge to hug her aunt quickly before hopping on the train just as it starts whistling.

It doesn’t take very long to find Adi and Jaya; they claimed, along with a few other students, a car near the front of the train. Adi grins at her, somehow leaping up elegantly.

“ _Cousin!_ ” she says in English. “ _May I introduce you to our new friends?_ ” Rani nods, steeling herself. She recognizes the first two, familiar as they are from letters, photographs, and a few visits; _Kaakaa_ Sirius's children: Laird Magda Lorelei McKinnon, or Cousin Lorelei, and the Honorable Inge Evelyn McKinnon Black, or Cousin Evelyn. Her two cousins, third year and second year, respectively, smile at her, and she returns the gesture. In quick succession, she is additionally introduced to Dilşad Sultan of House Osman, a fellow first year; Earl Longbottom, Rani’s godsbrother, another first year; Viscount Bones, Rani’s godsister, who requests to be called Lenore, a third first year; Principe Biagio Zabini, yet another first year; Miss Millicent Bulstrode; and Miss Daphne Greengrass; the last two also first years. Rani nods politely, returning appropriate greetings to each, and suddenly very grateful that Aaji Dorea had subjected her to a barrage of etiquette review during the past month.

She then settles down between Adi and Dilşad Sultan, and cautiously strikes up a conversation with the Ottoman Imperial Princess in her currently _very_ school room Arabic. To her relief, the other girl smiles delightedly.

“ _I had no idea there was anyone else who spoke one of my languages, Niketa Vizier. It truly is lovely to meet you._ ” Her year-mate, and hopefully new friend, is courteously speaking in measured tones, and the two girls spend an enjoyable hour or two getting to know each other. Including Rani expressing that she would much rather be called Rani Pasha. Most of the other students seem to take this as a cue, and switch into other languages than English.

Lady Lenore, Miss Bulstrode, and Cousin Lorelei are arguing rapidly in Français. Adi, Miss Greengrass, and Principe Biagio seem to be practicing their Elliniká. Cousin Evelyn has drawn shy Lord Nev into a conversation in what Rani is fairly certain is Deutsch. Jaya is the only exception, but the book she’s reading is in Marathi.

The relaxed atmosphere is interrupted a few times, most of them amusing. A pair of redhead twins, who Cousin Lorelei identifies as Misters Frederick and George Weasley, enter at one point, dangling a tarantula and smelling faintly of smoke, while their friend, a Mister Lee Jordan yells at them to give his pet back. The twins seem faintly disappointed when nobody screams in terror, Lord Nev being the only one who looks even slightly nervous. Frederick, the one on the right, mutters curses in Welsh. Rani, already feeling a little more optimistic, can’t resist saying,

“Language, sirs,” in the same language, causing both Frederick and his brother to gape at her, before grinning wildly and leaving, Mr. Jordan still shouting as he chases after them. The compartment door slides shut, and Cousin Lorelei, Miss Greengrass, and Miss Bulstrode groan, attracting the curious looks of Rani and the other international students.

“ _Both of them are relentless pranksters. They will either target you or attempt to entangle you in their schemes._ ” Rani is far from worried. They sound exactly like Raja and _Taid_ David. Hogwarts just suddenly became much more interesting. Especially if she can convince the Weasley twins to aid her in springing pranks on Dumbledore.

Another entertaining moment is when The Honorable Draco Malfoy stalks in, trailed by Lord Gregory Goyle and Lord Vincent Crabbe. Lord Gregory just looks tired, while Lord Vincent is clearly trying not to roll his eyes as Hon. Malfoy attempts to throw his weight around. Rani doesn’t dare look at Dilşad while the nouveau riche noble is speaking, desperately holding back laughter. She feels a bit of wry sympathy for Madame Black Malfoy. No wonder her Black cousin was separated from her husband, especially if—she winces when a certain offensive word crosses Hon. Malfoy’s mouth—she had to deal with language and behavior like that. When the door finally closes behind the trio, Rani finds it difficult to decide whether to be amused or horrified, and as she looks around, she doesn’t appear to be the only one struggling with that dilemma.

“ _Well, there goes another exhibit of how money doesn’t buy class,_ ” Miss Greengrass says. Cousin Lorelei snorts, her expression wry.

“ _Nor self-awareness. I feel sorry for_ Tante _Narcissa. Thank the gods she has separated from the Baronet._ ” Miss Bulstrode clears her throat.

“ _I feel sorry for Lords Gregory and Vincent. Their fathers are so in debt to Baronet Malfoy, they have to do whatever Hon. Malfoy orders,_ ” A collective grimace spreads in a wave across the compartment. Every person in this car is from an old family, and they understand the shame in such debt. It’s practically thralldom without the mark. It’s even worse since Baronet Malfoy seems to be erasing any positive or mature element of Hon. Malfoy’s character.

Eventually, they all return to their conversations, and the compartment fills with the rhythm and music of multiple languages layering over one another. Rani is in the middle of a discussion of the differences between the Ottoman and Maratha Empires with Dilşad when the compartment door opens again, this time with a slam that almost causes her to drop her mango juice. From the cursing in Sabine Roman from the Principe, it seems that he was not as successful in catching his beverage.

She can hear Adi muttering in Marathi—a cleaning spell—as she turns to the now open door. Two girls are standing on the threshold, both looking nauseatingly excited. The one on the right, who has bushy brown hair and big teeth is looking over in Adi and the Principe’s direction.

“ _What language is that? Is it Indian? That doesn’t sound like proper Latin. Why isn’t she using a wand? Why aren’t any of you wearing your uniforms yet? We’re almost at Hogwarts._ ” She also apparently has no filter and speaks way too quickly.

Rani knows she’s not the only one who sucks in a breath at the girl’s words. Principe Biagio pops up with a glare.

“ _Indian is not a language, you silly girl. Aren’t you aware that Latin has dialects?_ ” The girl flushes.

“ _I know Indian isn’t a language, you silly boy. I was just curious. So?_ ” Lord Nev starts choking on air, and Rani stares at the girl in disbelief. She’s briefly grateful when the other girl—black-haired and bespectacled—takes over.

“ _Sorry about all that. Hermione just lets her curiosity get ahead of her good sense sometimes, I’ve found,_ ” The bushy-haired girl—Hermione—huffs but doesn’t challenge the other girl’s statement. “ _Anyways, I’m Leanne. You all are? We heard Lily Potter was on the train, and we were trying to find her. Do you guys know where she is?_ ”

Lord Nev and Cousin Lorelei can distinctly be heard sputtering speechlessly in the silence that falls. Rani resists the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. This just keeps getting worse and worse. She wonders absently what Raja would do in this type of situation.

Leanne puts her hands on her hips.

“ _What? What did I say?_ ” She asks, clearly irritated. The silence drags on, but neither of the two new, strange girls move. Finally, Miss Bulstrode, glancing around at everyone else, speaks up.

“ _You have just been unimaginably rude to the defacto Crown Prince of Sabina, an Imperial Princess of the Ottoman Empire, the daughters of the Maratha Empire’s foreign minister to Great Britain, and the First Minister of the Maratha Empire. That’s not even touching the other six people you were also ill-mannered to, and the fact you don’t know the name of the person you’re looking for._ ” Hermione snorts, and the atmosphere grows more tense. She doesn’t seem to notice, and powers on.

“ _You have got to be joking. Even if those positions exist, which I doubt, they can’t be more than figurehead positions. Nobility doesn’t matter anymore. And what are you talking about, that’s not her name? It’s in all the books: Lily Potter, named after her mother, defeated You-Know-Who._ ” Rani fists her hands, and begins to smell ozone, but Dilşad’s gentle hand on her shoulder and Adi and Miss Greengrass singing “Lawsuit!” in two different languages keeps her grounded enough to stay in her seat. She’s furious nonetheless. Less at the two clearly misinformed, if rude girls, and more at the white wizarding wonder who is at least partially behind their incorrect knowledge. He still has far too much power, and Magical Britain still doesn’t have enough libel laws.

Leanne, more observant than her friend, who is clearly confused at the anger clear on everyone’s faces, drags Hermione out of the compartment.

Someone, Rani is unsure who, magics the door closed after it refuses to slide shut on its own. They all regard each other with wide eyes.

“I refuse to wear my uniform robes,” Rani says finally. As Adi translates, there’s a slow chorus of firm nods.

“ _It is not required, merely expected_ ,” Lord Nev offers quietly. By the time the Hogwarts Express pulls into the Hogsmeade station, Rani, Adi, and Jaya are still in their colorful _sarees_. Dilşad has not changed her dress, only neatened her veil and coronet. Cousins Lorelei and Hanne have changed into McKinnon tartan, Lorelei in an _arisaidh_ and an _ao dai_ , and Hanne wearing a kilt and a Vietnamese style formal shirt. Misses Bulstrode and Greengrass, along with Prince Biagio and Lord Nev have merely neglected to cover their Napoleonic-style fashion.

They earn a wide mix of approving nods and shocked looks, and not all the shocked looks are from non-magically born. Rani is beginning to feel uneasy again, but it’s manageable, since they no longer have to take the rowboats as they did in her parents’ day.

No, now they take the carriages as everyone else does, and Rani likes thestrals.

One briefly nuzzles her hand before she lets Principe Biagio pull in her into a carriage with Adi, Jaya, and Dilşad. Rani stares out the window at the looming castle as they grow closer, ignoring the stinging in her eyes. She wonders if _Baabaa_ and _Aai_ are disappointed that she’s attending Hogwarts. After all, she knows they were hoping to leave Britain after the war.

She is not crying, she tells herself, and she almost believes it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, English is in italics. That is because it is not either of Rani’s primary languages—Welsh and Marathi. Plus, it feels foreign to her. She doesn’t feel British, and she doesn’t want to. 
> 
> Please tell me if I’m getting the Ottoman titles wrong. 
> 
> Hanne and Lorelei are wearing Vietnamese clothing because they were raised by Nguyen (Sirius), and he is very proud of his Vietnamese heritage, and shared it with his children. Hanne was also blood-adopted as his heir. They’re not just randomly wearing clothes not part of their culture. 
> 
> I love Hermione. I do. But she is canonically not someone who listens to other people well, trusts books and teachers too much, and is rudely nosy. Especially in the first book, though I think a lot of her behavior is rooted in insecurity. I like Hermione, I’m just not going to make her perfect. However, I’m not bashing her. Or Ron.


End file.
